Diascia plant named ‘Balwhisalim’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Diascia plant named ‘Balwhisalim’, characterized by its light pink colored flowers, spreading, trailing growth habit, and medium green foliage.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Diascia barberae.

Variety denomination: ‘Balwhisalim’.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct Diascia plant,botanically known as Diascia barberae, and hereinafter referred to bythe cultivar name ‘Balwhisalim’.

The new cultivar was developed by the inventor in a controlled breedingprogram during November 1999, at Arroyo Grande, Calif. The objective ofthe breeding program was the development of Diascia cultivars with awell-branched, spreading growth habit, continuous flowering and mediumgreen foliage.

The new cultivar was the result of open pollination with the femaleparent being the commercially available Diascia variety ‘Red Start’.‘Balwhisalim’ was discovered and selected in February 2000 as a singleflowering plant from within the progeny of the above stated cross andwas designated NCT-48B.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar at West Chicago, Ill. wascarried out by the use of terminal stem cuttings and has demonstratedthat the characteristics of the new cultivar as herein described arefirmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexualpropagation.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It was found that the cultivar of the present invention:

(a) exhibits light pink colored flowers,

(b) forms foliage of a medium green color, and

(c) exhibits a spreading, trailing growth habit.

The new cultivar can be compared to its female parent, the commerciallyavailable Diascia plant ‘Red Start’ (non-patented). In side-by-sidecomparison, plants of the new cultivar are more vigorous with a tallerand more spreading growth habit than plants of ‘Red Start’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photographs show as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. The plants weregrown for 9 weeks in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates the overall growth habit of the new cultivar.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close up view of individual flowers of the newcultivar.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length. The chart used in the identification ofcolors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society, London, England. The color values were determinedon Apr. 24, 2002. The readings were taken between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.under natural daylight conditions. The plants were produced fromcuttings taken from stock plants and were grown in a doublepolycarbonate covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to thoseused in commercial practice. The plants were grown for 9 weeks whileutilizing a soilless growth medium and maintaining temperatures ofapproximately 62° to 75° F. (17° to 24° C.) during the day andapproximately 52° to 60° F. (11° to 15° C.) during the night and lightlevels of 5,000 to 8,000 footcandles.

Classification:

Botanical.—Diascia barberae cultivar ‘Balwhisalim’.

Parentage:

Open pollination.—Female Parent — Commercially available Diascia variety‘Red Start’.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal tip.

Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 14 to 21 days.

Root description.—Fibrous, branching.

Plant description:

Crop time.—Approximately 5 to 7 weeks from planting of rooted cuttingsin a 10 cm pot.

Habit of growth.—Vigorous. Pinching improves branching. A mature plant,9 weeks after the planting of a rooted cutting, measures approximately25.3 cm in height and approximately 68 cm in width with approximately4.4 main branches and 72 lateral flowering branches.

Form.—Spreading, trailing.

Lateral branch.—Shape: Square. Length: Approximately 17.3 cm. Diameter:Approximately 1.4 mm. Internode length at middle of branch:Approximately 2.8 cm. Texture: Sparsely glandular-pubescent. Color: 144Awith glands of 93A.

Foliage.—Type: Simple. Arrangement: Opposite. Shape: Ovate. Margin:Serrate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cordate. Texture: Glabrous, supple. Quantityper lateral branch: Approximately 10.8. Leaf length: Approximately 2.4cm. Leaf width: Approximately 1.7 cm. Leaf orientation to stem: Acute.Leaf fragrance: None. Upper surface of mature foliage is closest to 137Aand lower surface is lighter than 147B. Upper and lower surfaces havepinnate venation of 143C. Petiole length: Approximately 4 mm. Petiolediameter: Approximately 2 mm. Petiole color: 143C. Upper and lowersurfaces of petiole are glabrous.

Flowering description:

Flowering habit.—Freely flowering.

Natural flowering season.—Year round in greenhouse environment andspring through autumn in outdoor garden.

Flower arrangement.—Terminal racemes.

Flower description:

Type.—Solitary, five lobed and zygomorphic.

Fragrance.—None.

Aspect.—Concave.

Corolla.—Width: Approximately 1.8 cm. Length: Approximately 1.9 cm.Depth: Approximately 4 mm.

Petals.—Number: Five, fused at base. Aspect: Cupped. Two upper petals:Length is approximately 4 mm, width is approximately 4 mm. Lateralpetals: Length is approximately 5 mm, width is approximately 6 mm.Slightly curved nectar spurs originate from base of lateral petals.Nectar spur length: Approximately 7.6 mm. Nectar spur color: 50D withvenation of 79C. Lower petal: Length is approximately 1 cm, width isapproximately 1.2 cm. All petals: Margin: Entire. Apex: Obtuse. Texture:Glabrous. Color: Upper surface of upper petal is closest to 51B atmargin with 79D and venation of 79A at base and indentation at base of1A. Lower surface of upper petal is 51C. Upper surface of lateral petalsis closest to 51B at margin with 79D and venation of 79A at base. Lowersurface of lateral petals is 51C. Upper surface of lower petal is 51Bwith slight glandular pubescence at base. Glands are 93A. Lower surfaceof lower petal is 51C at margin and 50D at base.

Sepals.—Quantity: 5. Shape: Lanceolate. Length: Approximately 3 mm.Width: Approximately 1 mm. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Calyx shape:Star. Calyx diameter: Approximately 6 mm. Calyx texture: Denselyglandular-pubescent with glands of 93A on outer surface. Inner surfaceis glabrous. Color of both inner and outer surface is 143A.

Pedicel.—Length: Approximately 8 mm. Width: Less than 1 mm. Strength:Moderate. Texture: Moderately glandular-pubescent. Color: 143A withglands of 93A.

Peduncle.—Length: Approximately 5.4 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1.1 mm.Aspect: At acute angle to branch. Texture: Sparsely glandular-pubescent.Color: 143A with glands of 93A.

Bud.—Shape: Oval, flat. Length: Approximately 5.3 mm in length.Diameter: Approximately 5 mm. Color: 2D.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: There are 4 stamens. Stamen length:Approximately 3 mm. Filament color: closest to 96C. Anther shape: Oval.Anther length: Lessa than 1 mm. Anther color: 2B. Pollen amount:Abundant. Pollen color: 6B. Gynoecium: There is one pistil, 3 mm inlength. Stigma shape: Round. Stigma length: Less than 1 mm. Stigmacolor: 144D, transparent. The style length is approximately 1.5 mm andthe color is 144C. Ovary length is approximately 1.5 mm and color is144B.

Seed production: Seed production has not been observed.

Disease resistance: Resistance to pathogens has not been observed.

Hardiness zone: ‘Balwhisalim’ is hardy in zones nine (9) and above.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Diascia barberae plantnamed ‘Balwhisalim’substantially as herein shown and described, which: (a) exhibits lightpink colored flowers, (b) forms medium green foliage, and (c) exhibits aspreading and trailing growth habit.